The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-19
Wednesday, October 10, 1887.
Talking Back at the Preacher.

Talking Back at the Preacher.
NASHVILLE, Oct. n.-McKcndree church.
the leading NJ. E. church of Nashville, Tenn,
was the sNene of quite sensation last sun
day. Thepastor, Rev. w. 4. Gambler, deliver
ject of theatres Miss Emma Al bbott occupied
q seat In the rear Of the church, and at the
conclusion of the sermon, arose ana IN snort
speech entered protest against the very gen.
eral character Of the pastors remuneration.
II produced the greatest sensation, and has
since been the one topic of conversation in
parlors, in family circles, upon the streets and
uphold the pastor, but many others commend
sheSed she Sed'i much indignation. but her words
were very clear and dlstnGt a1b 10 were
charges unfounded, and that her life was as
free from blame as that of any living woman.
In all the operas OF the past week 10 wnicn rn en-
improper thought. The great lights of the
stage, such as Jenny Lind, Mojeska. and
countless others, had been good women, mod.
saw that aught had ever been said against the
fair fame Of Emma Abbott. There was con-
siderable applause at the conclusion of her re-
marks; Before IT subdued, Mr: Eandier Gar ei. an an
cause she was lady. During the day, as the
affair became known, great many ladles
who had met Miss Abbott socially, called on
her and commended her spirited defense Of
herself and her profession.-AsSociated Press
Dispatch.
The Columbia Register endorses and credits
the following to the augusta Gazette:
"We cannot shut in our consciousness from
the lamentable fact that there prevails with
certain considerable class OF newspapers q de-
generate tendency to gloat with greedy fervor
oyer every incident which seems TO Incline TO.
ward the embarrassment or compromise OF
the pulpit or the church. This is deplorable.
Whenever the press Of the country shall no
longer be relied on to sustain the pulpit as
social bulwark, then the hard work OF the
churches must soon exhaust the Single-hand-
ed help which abjdes alone in the pastor. 1t
has come to an unhappy pass when the news
paper press, or any respectable part OF II, eau
be made to pander to depraved public taste
which belongs to the irrcligious tendencies OF
certain classes In every community, but
which should have no response in any sort OF
Journalism which is fit to be read by Chris
tians."
We are unable to account for the custom
which seems to obtain with some members OF
the press to berate or defame brethren whom
they may conclude have committed an error
OF speech or have adopted principle or advo-
Gated cause from which they dissent. The
man who makes wholesale denunciation OF
the press, no less than he who makes whole
sale attacks on the pulpit, or any other class
OF citizens, commits a grievous error. II,
however, any newspaper has "gloated over
"any incident which would embarrass or COM
"promise the pulpit or the church" we have
not seen it. We believe the secular press is
and has been for years handmade of the pull
pit, and we believe much Of the good which
the secular press Is now doing in the dissent
nation OF gospel truths and in the publication
OF religious information is largely due to the
plety, tact and wisdom Of the pulpit. The
pulpit acknowledges the secular press as
power, and the wisdom Of the pulpit has in
duced 1t to seek to utilize force so powerful
as the secular press. In saying this we do not
mean to say that the press is subservient to
anybody, but we mean to say that the stand
ards OF the secular press have been raised so
high in the moral and religious work, that the
pulpit, to some extent, recognizes in 1T CO
worker in the Masters cause.
That Mr.. Gambler erred in his personal at
tack on the members of the dramatic corps
cannot, we think, be successfully denied. The
fact Is selfevident. If he had not transcend.
ed the bounds Of propriety Miss Abbott GER
tainly would not have risen In the church to
reply. II the reply was not deserved, and
well-put, 1t is not at all likely that the con-
gregation would have applauded the discom-
future Of their pastor.
In saying this we would not be understood
as in any manner endorsing the act Of Miss
Abbott. Her error in replying was greater
than that Of the preacher In aSSaillng.
Her womanly modesty should have enabled
her to suppress in the church the expression
OF her feelings Of just indignation at even a
grievous wrong.
The act itself, however, does not effect the
church. The act stands on its individual
merits, and has but little significanceof itself,
beyond the fact that it is evidence that long
persecuted people may be pressed too far, and
that the pubic sense Of right cannot be for
ever trampled upon, even by the pulpit.
There can be no doubt that 1t is an error on
the part of any man to turn the holy pulpit
into fountain from which may proceed, with
personal safety to the speaker, that foul SLAM
der which, If uttered on the Streets would
merit and receive q personal accountability.
The sanctity OF the pulpit Is not to be prosti-
tuted for the purposes Of disseminating abuse
OF any of those OF our fellow sinners for
whom the Saviour of mankind offered up his
life on the cross.
When on earth our Saviour never spoke
spitefully or hatefully Of the wicked-no mat
ter how low and depraved they may have
been. He did, however, say some scathins
things of those who were better than other
men, and said their prayers on the street cor
ners. Our Saviour in this particular furnish
ed very good example, which We think
might well be followed by Mr.. Gambler and all
others who seek to abuse people of any class
or condition in life. Even If the members OF
theatres are corrupt calumny and abuse will
never bring them TO the foot Of the Cross,
nor convert them to a saving faith in our
Lord and Saviour who would lift up the fall
en- and speak kindly even to outcasts.
To sum the matter up. The theatre has ex-
listed for time out OF mind. The probability
is, that 1t will exist for all time to come. So
far as we know the desire for theatri-
cal performances is natural and common to
all mankind. Of whatever nationality and OF
whatever division Of the human race. That
1t effects the morals of the people is not to be
denied. II its influence is corrupting, then
let the pulpit do with It, as they have done
with the secular press-seek to purify it, by
creating In the hearts of the people demand
for q purer theatre, and when there is de-
mand for o purer theatre it will come, rs q
purer press has come.
Let the pulpit acknowledge that there are
four great agencies which influence and con-
troll the human family:
1. The pulpit
2. The press.
8. The orator.